CTK Celebrates Feast with Novena, Fiesta Mass

Christ the King Parish Greenmeadows celebrated its fiesta day last November 25, the Solemnity of Christ the King and the last Sunday in Ordinary Time. The special day of days was preceded by nine days of 6 pm novena masses, from November 16 to November 24, except for November 18, a Sunday, where the novena mass was at the regular 6:30 pm time. CTK invited different presiders for nine days and asked the different villages to coordinate, as follows:

1. November 16: Fr. Jeff Quintana with White Plains & WP Terraces as offerors

2. November 17: Msgr. Dan Sta. Maria with Barangay Libis as offerors

3. November 18: Fr. Larry Garces with Enclave & Ivory Court as offerors

4. November 19: Fr. Joe Quilong- Quilong SJ with Corinthian Gardens, Greenwich & Arcadia as offerors

5. November 20: Fr. Ron Roberto with Greenmeadows 1 & 3 as offerors

6. November 21: Fr. Jojo Zerrudo with Corinthian Hills as offerors

7. November 22: Fr. Herbie Santos with Eton, Galleria, Crowne Plaza & Poveda as offerors

8. November 23: Fr. Joel Jason with St. Ignatius and La Maison as offerors

9. November 24: Fr. Anton Pascual with Acropolis as offerors

After each novena mass, the offerors sat down with the presider and Fr. Steve for light dinner. On the last Novena mass of November 24, the Parish Pastoral Council recognized the services of retiring parish servers. As some readers will recall, the Diocese of Cubao implemented a mandatory retirement age of 75 for all lay liturgical ministers – EMHC, lectors & commentators, greeters & collectors – similar to priests who have to retire at 75. Fr. Steve Zabala called on EMHC lead Albert Cuadrante and Lectors- Commentators lead Mel Novales to present the replicas of the CTK altar statues as a token of recognition. Honored and awarded were:

1. Ma. Esther Cruz, Lector- Commentator

2. Fe Cardinez, Lector-Commentator Consecration and Benediction with Eucharistic Blessing by Fr. Steve Van der Steen Male Choir had female singers

3. Romy Casas, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

4. Jun Chipeco, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

The actual feast day, November 25, the Solemnity of Christ the King, was marked by the traditional Eucharistic Adoration at 3 pm at the White Plains Chapel, the parish’s first church, coordinated by the Apostleship of Prayer. Songs, prayers, and readings interspersed with periods of silence served to direct the attention of the faithful.

Then at 4 pm, the monstrance, or ostensorium, with the consecrated Eucharistic host, was led out by Fr. Steve who mounted the carroza to begin the Eucharistic Exposition. The Eucharistic procession to Christ the King parish church began, with the altar servers leading the entourage, followed by the brass band, the EMHCs, then the Knights of Columbus honor guards. The Consecration and Benediction ceremony by Fr. Steve followed, concluding with the Eucharistic Blessing.

This was followed at 5 pm by the Fiesta Mass, presided by Most Reverend Honesto F. Ongtioco DD. Tapped as offerors were the barangay councils of Ugong Norte, White Plains, St. Ignatius, Libis, and Bagumbayan, as well as the homeowners’ associations of Acropolis, Arcadia, Corinthian Gardens, Corinthian Hills, Enclave, Greenmeadows 1 & 3, Greenwich, Ivory Court, La Maison, St. Ignatius, White Plains, and White Plains Terraces. Providing the professional music was the Van der Steen Male Choir.